Kaspersky Lab Slams iPhone SDK, Drops Antivirus Solution

Kaspersky Lab announced today it has backed down from launching an antivirus product for the iPhone due to SDK restrictions that are too stringent. Although Apple’s hottest gadget hasn’t faced any serious virus attacks yet, Kaspersky warns that up to 50% of all iPhones are ‘vulnerable.’

Kaspersky Lab had originally believed that the release of iPhone SDK would result in a multitude of malicious programs being created for the iPhone. “However, what the open Apple SDK provides is actually very limited,” - notes Alexander Gostev, Senior Virus Analyst for Kaspersky Lab.

Concerning the fact that in the first four days after the SDK was released, it was downloaded more than 100,000 times, it was reasonable to expect “an increase in new applications created using the SDK.” However, that hasn’t happened yet. Just like Symbian, Apple is providing and distributing applications on the “signed” basis. But, according to the iPhone SDK restrictions:

No interpreted code may be downloaded and used in an application except for code that is interpreted and run by Apple’s published APIS and built in interpreter(s). An application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other frameworks, other APIs or otherwise.

Gostev notes that these restrictions “make life more difficult for virus writers, but they also effectively rule out such applications as Firefox, Opera, many games, IM clients” and other useful software from extendng the iPhone’s capabilities.

Furthermore, Apple wants all applications, which have been created using the iPhone SDK, to be be distributed via Apple’s online store. This restriction doesn’t sit well with Kaspersky Lab, because it “creates a large number of additional barriers, ranging from the number of ‘vendors’ (developers) allowed, to geographical restrictions (only those in the USA are allowed to participate).”

“Apple has, in a formal sense, fulfilled its promise by making the SDK available. However, it’s not yet clear how this step will influence the development even of legitimate software for the phone. The restrictions are too stringent, and too many functions in the SDK remain closed,” - notes Gostev.

As a result of these conditions, Kaspersky Lab believes it is impossible to launch an antivirus product for the iPhone.

Additionally, Kaspersky Lab estimates that between 25% - 50% of all iPhones sold have been ‘unlocked.’ Kaspersky warns that these devices are “vulnerable to infection by any malicious program,” because users would be downloading files from different unofficial sources to update their hacks.

“This can’t be controlled in any way: users of modified phones are not entitled to official technical support, and we’ll be unable to provide them with any antivirus protection,” - notes Gostev.